Att.27 Westat Keeping Data Confidential

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W estat’s Procedures for Keeping Data Confidential

Following is a description of the procedures Westat will take to keep confidential the study data collected from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study respondents.

• Study data will be identified and retrieved by a study number only. Investigators will not have access to Personally Identifiable Information such as social security number (SSN), name, or address.

• Personally Identifiable Information (name, address, SSN, and telephone numbers) will be stored in a secure, password protected, and locked file according to the DHHS ADP Systems Security Policy.

• Hard-copy data forms will be identified only by a study identification number and will be stored in locked files at the contractor’s facilities. Hard-copy records provided by the respondents will be destroyed once the study data has been incorporated into the study datasets.

• All computerized data will be maintained in a manner that is consistent with the Department of Health and Human Services ADP Systems Security Policy.

• No reports or data files will contain personal identifiers.

• All contract staff working on the study will be required to sign a statement pledging to keep all study data confidential.

• Access to study data will be limited to the staff working on the study.

• When the study is complete or until the data is no longer required for research, the data will be stored or destroyed so that only necessary and useful records are retained in the files of NIH offices and laboratories for as long as required and reasonable and that records with lasting historical, legal or scientific value are preserved.